What action is described as the adduction of the arytenoids?

The action described as the adduction of the arytenoids refers specifically to the movement where the arytenoid cartilages come together. This process is crucial for the closure of the vocal folds during phonation, which is essential for sound production. When the arytenoids are adducted, they bring the vocal folds into a position that allows for vibration as air passes through them, enabling the production of voice.

In phonation, effective adduction is necessary for achieving a strong sound and plays a vital role in controlling pitch and volume. The ability to manipulate the arytenoids in this way is a key function of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, particularly the lateral cricoarytenoid and the interarytenoid muscles.

Understanding the mechanics of arytenoid adduction is important for studying voice production and the physiology of speech. It is not related to the separation of vocal folds, which would be the opposite action, nor does it directly refer to tightening or relaxing the vocal folds outside of the context of bringing them together for phonation.